1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the golf cup, which is the device that sits within the golf hole. The device serves a number of duties: 1) the golf cup supports the flag pole vertically within the center of the hole to clearly identify the location of the hole to golfers who are a substantial distance from the hole; 2) the golf cup prevents the soil which forms the golf hole from collapsing inwardly; 3) the golf cup is often colored white to make the hole more visible and thus make putting more convenient for golfers who are near the hole; and 4) the golf cup serves as a resting place for balls that are successfully putted into the hole and is often recognized for the tone that it produces when the ball drops into it.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Ordinary golf cups contain three common features: 1) an outer cylinder (approximately four and a quarter inches in diameter) that provides visibility to the golfer and prevents the soil surrounding the hole from collapsing inwardly; 2) a flagpole support cylinder that sits coaxially within the lower half of the outer cylinder and provides a snug fit with the flag pole to keep the flagpole vertical; and 3) a tapered bottom feature that sits within the mid-portion of the outer cylinder and connects the outer cylinder to the flagpole support cylinder. The tapered bottom feature supports the golf ball once putted into the hole and guides the pole into the flagpole support cylinder.
The flagpole support cylinder and the bottom piece of the flagpole (commonly referred to as the xe2x80x9cferrulexe2x80x9d) are exposed to a great deal of xe2x80x9cwear and tearxe2x80x9d. There is a great deal of dirt and sand in the environment in which they exist and the wind on the flag and repeated flagpole removal and replacement create a powerful abrasive force between the two devices. Therefore, golf cups that are constructed out of metal are commonly considered to last much longer due to their greater resistance against this abrasive force.
However, metals are not naturally white and thus must be painted in order to sustain visibility. A chipped, rusty, or mis-colored cup can create a negative impression of a golf course and its greens keeper. For this reason, some greens keepers prefer to use white plastic cups due to their lower cost and natural white finish, which cannot be xe2x80x9cchippedxe2x80x9d away from the outer cylinder by the flagpole. While plastic cups are less expensive and easier to maintain, metal cups are more traditional, last longer, and produce the cherished xe2x80x9cball-dropxe2x80x9d tone that many golfers and greens keepers demand. For these reasons, many greens keepers are forced to switch back and forth between cup styles, depending on what their golfers currently favor. As is the case with both common metal and plastic cups, when a feature becomes worn or defaced, the entire cup must be refinished or discarded.
Typically, there are two sizes of golf cups that a greens keeper must procure and use. One is for practice putting greens and the other is for greens used in regular play. The golf cup used on regular greens is generally several inches deeper that the golf cup used on practice putting greens. The deeper cup is necessary on regular greens, because the golf cup must support the flag and flagpole. In order to provide the required stability to support the flagpole, the golf cup used on regular greens must have a greater exterior surface area than the golf cup used on practice greens.
It is the object of this invention to provide a golf cup that utilizes numerous parts.
It is the object of this invention is to provide a golf cup that utilizes numerous parts that are replaceable.
Another object of this invention is to provide a golf cup that utilizes numerous parts that are made from different materials, using the material which best suits the part of the cup where it is being used.
Another object of this invention is to provide a golf cup that can be dismantled and assembled using no tools other than the human hand.
Another object of this invention is to create a golf cup that appeals to greens keepers who normally use plastic cups and to greens keepers who normally use metal cups.
Another object of this invention is to create a golf cup that successfully possesses the popular features of both metal and plastic golf cups.
Another object of this invention is to create a golf cup that creates a pleasing tone when the golf ball drops into it.
It is the object of this invention to create a golf cup that lasts a long time while sustaining high visibility without high expense or continual and time consuming maintenance.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by creating a golf cup that has two separate outer cylinder features, an upper cylinder to provide visibility and a lower cylinder to provide stability. In the preferred embodiment, the lower cylinder, the tapered bottom feature, and the flagpole support cylinder are created out of metal to provide a long lasting cup that produces the favorable ball-drop tone. The upper cylinder is created out of plastic to provide high visibility, low cost, and ease of replacement. The upper cylinder is connected to the lower cylinder via, for example, a snap fit that can be applied and removed without the aid of tools. The fastening technique or means can be designed as described herein, or by numerous other means including, but not limited to, a twist-locking snap fit, a screw or other fastener fit, a glue bond, a friction fit, a press fit, the use of straps, clamps, clips, or ties, a tongue-and-groove mechanism, a cam groove system, a threaded assembly, a latch or the like. The resulting device will provide the durability, strength, tradition, sound, and stability of a metal cup with the visibility, ease of maintenance, and cost-effectiveness of a plastic cup.